Family members of victim shot by APF seeking justice

KAVRE, May 16: Family members of a youth, who was mistakenly shot dead by Armed Police of Force (APF) in Namobuddha Municipality-4, Siddhibinayak during a police patrol, are seeking for justice.

The whole village has been grief-stricken after the death of twenty-eight-year-old Navaraj Pathak on Saturday. Though he was taken to Dhulikhel Hospital for treatment, he was declared dead on arrival.

The family members of the deceased are finding it hard to accept his death. “What had my brother done for the police to take his life? The state must answer this,” said the brother of the deceased, Yuvraj. His mother had been admitted to the hospital after becoming unconscious upon hearing the news of her son's death.

“My brother was taking all of the responsibility of our family after the death of our father. He never made us feel the absence of our father,” said Yuvraj.

Relatives have gathered at the home of the deceased to console the grieving family. Bal Kumari Silwal, eighty-five-year-old aunt of Nabaraj, has run out of tears after crying for days. “Bring me that person who killed my innocent nephew, I will kill him,” she raged her anger.

After the death of his father three years ago, Nabaraj was taking the responsibility of looking after his mother, aunt and four siblings. He was a farmer by profession. Pathak had tied the knot a year ago and had recently become father of a 40-day-old son. Following the Hindu ritual, Nabraj's wife was living in her maternal home since the birth of her child when the tragic incident took place.

“I don't know how will I console my sister-in-law and I'm really worried about his son who has been deprived of father's love,” Yuvraj lamented.

As informed by Prem Prasad Chimauriya, a neighbor of the deceased, Nabaraj was walking along with his friends in Gauda while the security personnel deployed at a polling station of Janak Secondary School shot at him.

“If he had died a natural death we would have been able to console ourselves. But how can we accept that he was killed by the state itself,” said Bhim Prasad Chimauriya, a neighbor.

Locals have demanded stern action against the negligent security personnel. Villagers had staged a demonstration and announced not to participate in the local polls.

Chief District Officer of Kavre, Shiva Prasad Simkhada, Chief Returning Officer Modini Prasad Poudel, SP of Armed Police Force Shyam Kaji Kunwar along with leaders and cadres of various political parties had decided not to conduct the elections until the culprit was booked. As a result, the elections were stalled on Sunday.

Political parties have sent a letter to the Ministry of Home Affairs putting forward various demands on Sunday.

“The home ministry has assured to address the demands of the political parties,” said CDO Simkhada. According to him, the home ministry has assured to send an investigation team, Rs 1 million to the victim's family, employment for the wife of the deceased and free education to his child.

Besides that, the ministry has also urged the District Election Office to hold discussions with various parties and resume the elections in the polling station of Janak Secondary school.